Nerdist » Ben Fosterhttp://www.nerdist.com
Wed, 04 Mar 2015 00:00:30 +0000en-UShourly1http://wordpress.org/?v=4.1.1Zug, Zug! WARCRAFT Movie Panel Invades BlizzConhttp://www.nerdist.com/2014/11/zug-zug-warcraft-movie-panel-invades-blizzcon/
http://www.nerdist.com/2014/11/zug-zug-warcraft-movie-panel-invades-blizzcon/#commentsSat, 08 Nov 2014 01:30:04 +0000http://www.nerdist.com/?p=199177Not even a level 103 raid boss could keep the hordes (and alliances) of eager Warcraft fans from descending on Anaheim today for BlizzCon. While people were losing their minds over the Pixar-meets-Team Fortress action of newly announced FPS Overwatch, the highlight was definitely the panel about Legendary’s hotly anticipated, Duncan Jones-directed Warcraft film, which was moderated by our own Chris Hardwick. Special guests Jones, VFX supervisor Bill Westenhofer, Blizzard SVP of Story and Franchise Development Chris Metzen, and eventually actor Rob Kazinsky were all in the house to talk about bringing the sprawling franchise to life.

A longtime Blizzard fan and World of Warcraft player, Duncan Jones was thrilled to be working on the project. “When I heard that Sam Raimi was working on a World of Warcraft film, I was so excited and so jealous that he would get a chance to do that. Then fate found a way for me to take over,” he said. Jones had his work cut out for him. “There was a preexisting project that Sam Raimi had been doing, but it was very human-centric, very Alliance-centric. It didn’t put the orcs in the best light,” Jones recalled. “I thought it was very important that the film allowed you to be on either side of the conflict.”

Evidently, Jones was just what the doctor ordered. The story centers on Lothar and Durotan, who are heroes of the human and orcs respectively, and how they find themselves drawn into an inescapable conflict. Clearly, an even-handed storytelling approach was of paramount importance. Chris Metzen recalls when Jones first boarded the project that they had already tried a couple different routes on this film and their comfort level wasn’t great. “This movie has to be 50% Alliance, 50% Horde.” Those were, evidently the magic words as far as the Blizzard team was concerned.

The film wrapped production back in April, but they are toiling away with the extensive VFX work required. Still, Metzen couldn’t help gushing over an early cut. “There’s a scene where the world’s gone to hell and Durotan is in his tent with his pregnant wife and he’s sitting in the dark, looking into the shadows, and Draka is sleeping; he’s just looking off into the distance,” Metzen excitedly recounted. “There is just a universe of depth in his eyes. It took me straight into the animus of the stories. A breathing, living person. A dad, a husband. Then I’m like, ‘Oh my god, I’m looking at an Orc. What did you do to me?!'”

With such a massive world to bring to life, staying true to the source material was important to Jones. “The most important thing is to be working as closely with [Blizzard] as possible. We needed them to be our Yodas,” he said with a laugh. “We have so many special effects. It’s Avatar and Lord of the Rings at the same time,” Jones explained matter-of-factly. The VFX are being approached with a very naturalistic approach, according to Westenhofer, who has been playing since Warcraft II and the World of Warcraft alpha. Still, as an Alliance player, he feels a little guilty. “Can I really do justice to the Orcs? It’s the enemy,” he said. “Out of respect for all of you who have ganked me, we’re delivering some really good Orcs.” The Horde players in the audience cheered.

The VFX work is quite impressive, but so are the practical effects. Anchoring the panel on either side was a collection of Horde and Alliance armor that would make any cosplayer turn green with envy. Of the massive sets, Metzen mentioned a very special day on location for him: “I got to stand in the middle of the main street in Stormwind. There’s the mailbox. There were tears in my eyes.” As a former Alliance player myself, I feel you, bro.

They also confirmed a variety of characters; much of the casting was already known, but it was cool to see some of the character renders like Rob Kazinsky’s Orgrim and Dominic Cooper’s King Llane.

Lothar is our Alliance lead and will be played by Vikings star Travis Fimmel. In Metzen’s mind, Fimmel is a bit younger than he’d pictured Lothar as being, but the actor brought a tremendous amount of depth to the role. Additionally, Ben Foster will be playing Medivh, a human magus charged with guarding mankind from the Burning Legion. Though the slides went out of order at this point, Rob Kazinsky will be playing Orgrim, Daniel Wu will be Gul’dan, Clancy Brown will be playing Blackhand (and was the voice of Thrall in the never-released Warcraft Adventures), Ben Schnetzer will be Khadgar, Paula Patton is Garona, Ruth Negga will be Lady Taria, and Dominic Cooper will be King Llane.

The highlight of all the casting announcements though was when Rob Kazinsky himself came out wielding a massive replica of the Doomhammer. After a thunderous applause break, Kazinsky recounted his experience playing the game. “I started in Burning Crusade as a warrior,” he said with a smile. He has also played a Death Knight since patch 3.1 in a world top 100 guild, and has over 500 days played on his account. He also namedropped more armor sets than I could write down. Clearly, the man knows his stuff.

For Kazinsky, working on Warcraft was a dream come true, and being at BlizzCon to share that was overwhelming for the actor. “I’ve been to BlizzCon before as a fan,” said Kazinsky, “and this is very much a case of one of us getting to do this.” What will we see from his portrayal of Orgrim? “Obviously, Orgrim is the best character in the lore. He’s the most handsome,” he said jokingly. “I love playing him. You’ve got Durotan who is the wise, all-seeing chief, and you have the hard bastard next to him. Not very bright. You see the evolution of Orgrim from being someone’s brother, someone’s best friend to being a leader in his own right.”

Though they didn’t show any new footage or trailers at the panel (you have to be at BlizzCon in person to see clips), they did trot out a massive boom mic in order to record some battle cries from the assembled audience. Let me tell you — the reverberations of thousands of people screaming “For the Alliance!”, “For the Horde!”, and “For Azeroth!” were palpable, if not deafening. Of the long, winding road to bringing the world of Azeroth to the big screen, Metzen, perhaps, put it best: “To finally see this thing come together, fried every single circuit I had.” We’ll have to wait until March 2016 to have our circuits fried, but this is a good head start. In the meantime, you can visit http://fightforthehorde.com or http://fightforthealliance.com to pledge your allegiance and draw battle lines.

—

What do you think of all the announcements thus far? Let us know in the comments below!

]]>http://www.nerdist.com/2014/11/zug-zug-warcraft-movie-panel-invades-blizzcon/feed/3Get Your First Look At WARCRAFT at SDCC at the Legendary Boothhttp://www.nerdist.com/2014/07/get-your-first-look-at-warcraft-at-sdcc-at-the-legendary-booth/
http://www.nerdist.com/2014/07/get-your-first-look-at-warcraft-at-sdcc-at-the-legendary-booth/#commentsThu, 24 Jul 2014 22:00:57 +0000http://www.nerdist.com/?p=169491In the next few years we’re going to begin seeing a new wave of video game-inspired films, and, without a doubt, one of the most highly anticipated of which is Duncan Jones’ upcoming Warcraft. Based on Blizzard’s expansive Warcraft/World of Warcraft universe, the new film will sport a script co-written by Jones and Charles Leavitt, and a cast that includes the likes of Ben Foster, Travis Fimmel, Paula Patton, Dominic Cooper, Toby Kebbell and Rob Kazinsky. Of course, because it’s Comic-Con weekend, Legendary wasn’t going to miss a chance to bring their new fantasy epic to San Diego, and that’s why today we’re here to tell you that, if you have the time, you should take a trip over to the Legendary booth (#3920) to get a look at some of the weapons featured in the film.

According to the studio, the booth will give fans that first look at both the film’s logo and the legendary items like the Doomhammer, Dragon Sword and Lion Shield, in addition to holding a “Golden Ticket Giveaway” that will offer one winner the chance to meet director Duncan Jones on Saturday at the booth.

“To win the “Golden Ticket,” fans will need to go to the Blizzard activation #Lootcrazy, where they will be directed to the Legendary booth to take a picture the movie assets and share it on social media using the hashtag. They will then bring the photo to the Blizzard booth at allotted times for redemption. Within the redemption time on Friday, from 5-7pm one golden ticket will be hidden in the prizing goodie bag for a fan winner.”

So, go forth, kick Azeroth, take names, and who knows? You might just find yourself a Lich King for a day.

Are you excited for Warcraft? Let us know in the comments below!

]]>http://www.nerdist.com/2014/07/get-your-first-look-at-warcraft-at-sdcc-at-the-legendary-booth/feed/0Review: LONE SURVIVORhttp://www.nerdist.com/2014/01/review-lone-survivor/
http://www.nerdist.com/2014/01/review-lone-survivor/#commentsMon, 13 Jan 2014 23:00:17 +0000http://www.nerdist.com/?p=100184The short review: Balancing the chest-thumping and jingoism inherent to many military films with raw emotion and an emphasis on the relationships between men in an extraordinary situation, Lone Survivor is a triumph.

The long review: Beautiful vistas? Check. Taylor Kitsch? Check. Sweeping soundtrack from post-rock gods Explosions in the Sky? Check. Yep, this is definitely a Peter Berg film, and I mean that in the best way possible. Walking a delicate tightrope between documentarian and dramatist, Peter Berg takes a harrowing real life tale of survival and elevates it to become an electrifying, profoundly compelling cinematic experience without falling into the pitfalls of getting overly schmaltzy or jingoistic. It may seem a bit heavy-handed at times, but ultimately Lone Survivor is a success thanks to a dynamite cast, Berg’s direction, and the film’s uniquely haunting charms.

Based on the memoir of the same name by former Navy SEAL Marcus Luttrell, Lone Survivor follows the events of “Operation Red Wings,” a reconnaissance mission in Afghanistan’s Kunar province intended to locate a Taliban warlord. The mission was compromised when Luttrell and his three squadmates were discovered by local goatherders, leading to a pitched battle on a rocky mountainside that claimed the lives of Luttrell’s squadmates and others in the rescue effort that followed. It was the single largest loss of life of Navy Special Warfare forces since World War II, a tragedy by all accounts underlined by a story of miraculous, unrelenting survival.

Yet, rather than being a film about the conflict itself, Lone Survivor is an exploration of the brotherhood forged in war and the cruel effects it can wreak on soldiers and citizens on both sides of the fray. Of particular note, the camaraderie between the four leads of Lone Survivor is papable. Mark Wahlberg, Ben Foster, Taylor Kitsch, and Emile Hirsch gave it their all and their commitment has paid off in spades, creating an immersive sense of the brotherhood, moral crisis and sacrifice shared between these men. Likewise, Berg’s portrayal of the Taliban and Afghani villages is even-handed, a laudable feat considering how easy it would have been to make them a monolithic evil.

The centerpiece of the film is a nearly 30-minute firefight, yet much of it is spent furthering character development and cementing the protagonists’ relationships. Honoring the memory of these fallen men while crafting an entertaining, big budget picture is a seemingly Herculean task for Berg, but he manages to toe the line quite well, thanks in part to copious research and constant advice from men like Luttrell, who served as a consultant on the film. Clearly, these are men who Berg idolizes and places upon a pedestal, and that may turn certain viewers off, but if you’re willing to look past your qualms and accept the film for what it is, then it is quite a powerful piece of cinema.

In short, Lone Survivor is a harrowing, breathtaking experience that will send your heart rate soaring higher than a chain smoker in spin class. It’s a powerful film, for sure, and one of the starkest portrayals of the brotherhood forged in the heat of battle you’ll see up on the big screen. Its greatest battle is one with itself between honoring the memories of the fallen and creating a big budget blockbuster, but thanks to Berg’s leadership and heartfelt performances, it is one where audiences emerge the victor.

Did you see the film? Let us know what you think in the comments below.

]]>http://www.nerdist.com/2014/01/review-lone-survivor/feed/4Meet the Man Behind LONE SURVIVOR, Marcus Luttrellhttp://www.nerdist.com/2014/01/meet-the-man-behind-lone-survivor-marcus-luttrell/
http://www.nerdist.com/2014/01/meet-the-man-behind-lone-survivor-marcus-luttrell/#commentsThu, 09 Jan 2014 16:00:07 +0000http://www.nerdist.com/?p=104650Marcus Luttrell is many things. He is a proud Texan. He is a retired Navy SEAL, decorated with the Navy Cross. He is an advocate for active duty and veteran military members through organizations like the Patriot Tour and the Lone Survivor Foundation. He is a best-selling author. And now, the 38-year-old Texan is the subject of a major motion picture from Universal and Friday Night Lights director Peter Berg, Lone Survivor.

The film, which I greatly enjoyed, is based on Luttrell’s best-selling 2007 memoir of the same name; It tells the story of “Operation Red Wings,” a botched four-man military operation in 2005 in northeastern Afghanistan’s Kunar province that fell apart when several goat herders accidentally discovered the SEALs on a reconnaissance mission. The mission resulted in the biggest single loss of life for Naval Special Warfare forces since World War II, namely Luttrell’s three squadmates.

The SEALs aborted the mission and released the civilians, which in turn lead to a swift ambush by the Taliban, a pitched battle that sent them tumbling down a rocky mountainside. Luttrell’s three fellow SEALs were killed in action, Luttrell himself was badly injured, and the ensuing rescue effort left 16 more men dead. His story is, by turns, miraculous and tragic, and the man himself is immensely humble, seeing his memoir and the film as a chance to honor his fallen brothers’ memory.

Recently, I had the chance to interview Luttrell, who served as a consultant on the film, making himself present for nearly every single day of filming, and I was quite nervous in the days leading up to it. What could I say to this man who has endured so much? As it turns out, Luttrell is a very nice, insightful guy, a good ol’ Texas boy who insisted on calling me “sir.” The entire time I was thinking, “There are no circumstances under which you should be calling me ‘sir'; you’re the one worthy of respect here.” But that’s just the kind of guy Marcus Luttrell is — polite, disciplined, honorable.

Nerdist: Hello, Marcus. How are you doing today?

Marcus Luttrell: Good. How you doing?

N: I’m doing well. Thank you for taking the time to talk to me. I really appreciate it.

ML: Yes, sir.

N: First and foremost, I want to say thank you very much for your service. Also, thank you for letting this film get made. I was very moved by it. I haven’t read your book, but I thought it was a very powerful account — a very moving film.

ML: Thank you, sir.

N: So I want to know, how did Peter Berg first approach you about the project, and what made you decide to move forward with it as a film adaptation?

ML: Well, I was in L.A. in meetings with other producers and directors when the guy who brought me up there said, “Hey, there’s a director we would like you to meet. He’s showing a movie in downtown right now, and he’d like to meet you.” And so they went down.

N: Got it. And so how involved in the filmmaking process were you? I also spoke with Eric Bana and Taylor Kitsch, and they both said they benefited immensely from speaking with you.

ML: Yes, sir. No, I was on set for most of it. There were a few times when I had to leave, but for the most part I was there, and before filming, we did a month and some change of training — I was there for that.

N: How did that training compare to actual SEAL training for the actors?

ML: We were pretty hard on them. I mean, we didn’t cut them any slack. We put the boots to them pretty quick. I mean, the learning curve was really steep. We didn’t — it wasn’t one of those “grab your hand and walk you through it” (things) — it’s basically like the real training, you know? Welcome to it.

N: Yeah. Exactly.

ML: You’re either going to make it or you’re not.

N: Hopefully, no one washed out of the film.

ML: No, no, no. Those guys, man — they’re tough. They all put out real, like they should have.

N: You guys were in New Mexico, correct?

ML: Yes, sir.

N: I can imagine that must be difficult as well, especially with the additional elevation.

ML: Yes, sir. Not only with the movie and the filming the actors themselves, you’ve got to haul all the equipment up and down every day and everything like that, so sun up to sun down, everybody was in there. The actors would have to do their thing, all day long, and then at the end of the day they were carrying equipment down the mountain. Everybody was putting out like they should have, nobody was better than anybody else, saying “I’m so-and-so, I don’t need to do that. That’s not what I’m here for.” That never happened. Everybody was there; it was a real team environment, so it was a pleasure to be there.

N: Yeah.

ML: I’ve heard horror stories of other movies, but that wasn’t the case on this one.

N: Yeah, it sounds like everyone was taking it very seriously, especially — I was reading Mark Wahlberg’s comments from AFI, and it really comes through how important of a project this was to everyone involved.

ML: Yes, sir.

N: So, may I ask how true to life is the film adaptation? Are you pleased with the results? Obviously you need to make certain changes for the big screen, but it seemed like it was trying to be a pretty faithful adaptation.

ML: Sure, absolutely. I mean, we could obviously only take so much from real life and put it into a book, you know, and you can only take so much from a book and put it into a movie. They had to condense that down to where they had — there’s so much to deal with in Hollywood, the monetary thing, the time constraints, the locations, stuff like that, and the overall safety of the actors and the crew, as well. So with all those variables thrown into the pot, I think they did an outstanding job with what they had to work with, in my opinion. I sat in on a lot of the movie previews for people, and sat in the back of the room and listened to them, and watched their reactions. I think overall people are blown away by what they see on the screen, and you’ve got to think that it hits home to them, that this is just a movie. I can only imagine what it was like for these guys in real life.

N: Yeah, exactly. It was a very compelling, harrowing movie. One thing that I really thought it did well is — and this is a pitfall that I find a lot of these things can fall into sometimes — it wasn’t about the politics, it wasn’t about any of that stuff. It was about the sense of brotherhood and camaraderie between these men, and I thought that really shone through.

ML: You’re the first one to ask me that. Let’s see. [pauses a moment] You know, just the overall being out there was good. Every day was something new. It was just really fulfilling to be out there with those guys. To tell you the truth, in the beginning, before I had met anybody, Ben Foster and I talked on the phone. He said he was driving down to go to Dallas to get his truck, and he was driving to New Mexico. I said, “I’ll tell you what. I’ll drive up to Dallas, I’ll meet you there, and I’ll ride to New Mexico with you.” Now I had never met this guy, I had talked to him for five minutes on the phone, and he was like, “Sure!” And you know, as well as I do, long road trips with people? You have to like them!

N: Oh god, yes.

ML: Otherwise it’s going to be miserable, and that’s what we were kind of joking around, like we’re either going to be brothers at the end of this, or one of us is going to be lying dead in the desert.

N: Yeah. [chuckles]

ML: And we drove up — I met him at a gas station, and we shook hands. “I’m Ben.” “I’m Marcus.” I was, like, “Let’s roll these wheels, buddy! Let’s put some distance in.” And we started chatting it up, and whatever, however many days it took us to get there, it turned into a great friendship. He and I are closer than anybody. I love that guy. He’s a wonderful man, and we had a really good time doing that, and it could have gone completely the opposite direction.

N: Thank goodness! [laughs]

ML: And that’s how it started. It started right there, and it just stayed constant throughout the whole film.

N: Well, that’s good.

ML: It was good, yeah.

N: That’s important. I definitely feel you on that road trip dynamic, because that can turn nasty quickly, and that’s not a good scene. I’m glad that you had the opposite experience.

N: Would you ever have imagined that you were going to be played on screen by Mark Wahlberg someday?

ML: No, I wouldn’t. Come on! You know the answer to that question! I was just doing what I was doing. I was Navy SEALing. I like watching him. I mean, I grew up watching him.

N: Yeah.

ML: When we talk about that — I mean, we’re friends now, and everything, but we kind of grew up together. We’re almost the same age, so it’s funny watching… we were talking about how our lives have evolved, from when we were teenagers and we kind of had similar backgrounds. I mean, me being a farm boy and him being a city boy, but other than that. And now we’re parents and family men, and stuff like that, and obviously you can watch his whole life, from the time he was young till the time now, it’s all been on TV and news and all that, where mine has all been classified, and stuff like that. It was a unique experience, and he and I are good friends, and it was a privilege to watch him work.

N: That’s great. And I know that nowadays you spend a lot of time traveling around with The Patriot Tour, but for those of us who might not be aware, I was wondering if you could tell us a little about that.

ML: It’s me and a few other veterans. We go around the country and we talk about our experiences in the military. It’s a motivational thing, like the other guy is a single-leg amputee, I got shot, one of them is the widow of Chris Kyle, who was killed — he was actually murdered. But it’s a really motivational, real-truth behind what’s going on in the war zone kind of deal. Motivational — how do you get through it, perseverance kind of deal. It’s a lot of fun.

N: Yeah, I can imagine. I have some friends who have served and are currently serving, so I imagine that it’s nice to hear from guys who’ve actually been there and seen it, what they might be in for.

ML: Sure, yeah. Absolutely.

N: That’s all I have here, but thank you very much. I really appreciated talking to you, and I really quite enjoyed the film, so I thank you very much, and have a great day.

ML: Yeah, bro, you too, man. Thanks for your time.

—

Lone Survivor is in select theaters now and in theaters everywhere on January 10, 2014. For more on Marcus Luttrell, you can visit his website.

]]>http://www.nerdist.com/2014/01/meet-the-man-behind-lone-survivor-marcus-luttrell/feed/9Upcoming WARCRAFT Movie Cast Revealedhttp://www.nerdist.com/2013/12/upcoming-warcraft-movie-cast-revealed/
http://www.nerdist.com/2013/12/upcoming-warcraft-movie-cast-revealed/#commentsThu, 05 Dec 2013 01:45:31 +0000http://www.nerdist.com/?p=100293Be you Horde or Alliance, today’s Warcraft news should sit pleasantly in your heart if you’re a fan of the series. Legendary Entertainment has just announced the cast for the upcoming Warcraft movie, which is set to begin production in Vancouver during January of 2014. Thus far, Ben Foster, Travis Fimmel, Paula Patton, Toby Kebbell, and Rob Kazinsky have all been revealed as cast members via Twitter.

The highlight of the casting decisions would definitely have to be Rob Kazinsky, whom you may know from his roles in Pacific Rim and HBO’s True Blood. He’s actually a big time World Of Warcraft player, referring to the game as his “ultimate job” after boasting over 463 days played. The fact that he still has time to turn in stellar performances on the big screen with so many WoW hours logged in is madly impressive.

As a career WoW player, 463 days /played, it’s pretty much my ultimate job. proud to be a part of something that is such a major part of me.

As far as the plot for the Warcraft movie, all we know is obvious, like the fact that it will take place in Azeroth and feature the many familiar races of the Horde and Alliance like orcs and night elves (although it’d be nice to see a panda or two).

Are you excited about about newly revealed cast members? Let us know your thoughts down in the comments!

]]>http://www.nerdist.com/2013/12/upcoming-warcraft-movie-cast-revealed/feed/32The Beat Generation Gets Deadly Serious in the KILL YOUR DARLINGS Trailerhttp://www.nerdist.com/2013/09/the-beat-generation-gets-deadly-serious-in-the-kill-your-darlings-trailer/
http://www.nerdist.com/2013/09/the-beat-generation-gets-deadly-serious-in-the-kill-your-darlings-trailer/#commentsWed, 04 Sep 2013 18:29:04 +0000http://www.nerdist.com/?p=88430Remember all those fond memories you had of reading Jack Kerouac’s On The Road in high school? Or admiring Allen Ginsberg’s beard on the book jacket cover of Howl? Or being weirded out by just how many times William S. Burroughs used the phrase “opalescent pearl of cum” in Naked Lunch (Trust me, it’s a lot)? Well, Kill Your Darlings, the new film from Sony Pictures Classics directed by John Krokidas, starring Daniel Radcliffe, Dane DeHaan, Jack Huston, Ben Foster, and more, follows all of those writers during their formative years before they became the beacons of the Beat Generation. As is the case with any good coming of age story, there’s sex, lies, manipulation, and a murder most foul. Check out the debut trailer below.

Of particular note, Daniel Radcliffe continues to impress as he seeks to shed his Boy Wizard image for edgier, more adult fare, and from what we’ve seen so far in the trailers for Kill Your Darlings, he’s taking to Allen Ginsberg like a Beater to a Bludger. And with a cast including Jack Huston, Dane DeHaan, Michael C. Hall, Elizabeth Olsen, and more, he’s in good company. Here’s the official synopsis:

KILL YOUR DARLINGS is the previously untold story of murder that brought together a young Allen Ginsberg (Daniel Radcliffe), Jack Kerouac (Jack Huston) and William Burroughs (Ben Foster) at Columbia University in 1944, providing the spark that would lead to their Beat Revolution. This is the true story of friendship and murder that led to the birth of an entire generation.

What do you think of the trailer? Are you excited for the film? Let us know in the comments below!